


Man's Best Friend

by SirensCalling



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Zombie Apocalypse, As Always I Suck at Tagging, Awkward Meet, Cute, F/M, Fluff, Jack is a Bethyl Stan, Matchmaking Cat, PWP with Fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-05-07
Updated: 2015-08-04
Packaged: 2018-03-29 10:15:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,035
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3892597
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SirensCalling/pseuds/SirensCalling
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Daryl owns a cat. Said cat has a small problem with taking things that do not belong to him. Thing's like Beth's underwear.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Man's Best Friend

**Author's Note:**

> because an au masterlist appeared on my dash and I zeroed in on awkward meets and what the hell this one was adorable

Many people will say that dogs are man's best friend, but in Daryl Dixon's opinion, that spot was reserved for cats. His own cat for instance, a fat tomcat with a coat as black as night and glowing green eyes who Daryl had come to call Jack, was better than any damn dog. Yeah, he had a problem with tearing up his couch and leaving cat hair all over the place, but Jack had a crazy talent.

 

 

  Kleptomania.

 

 

  Daryl had a routine when it came to Jack. Every morning at about six, the cat would jump up on the best with him, yowling and pawing at him until Daryl finally got his ass out of bed and let him out through the balcony door of his apartment. Jack would then go about his business wandering the apartment complex and only God knew where else. Then Daryl would go off to work, and when he came home, there was Jack, laying out on the balcony, some new treasure in his possession. Most of the time it was random things like a Scooby-doo watch, an old rag and one time a bracelet. Daryl would just shake his head at the feline, take the stolen items and place them in a shoe box on top of the fridge. Jack's problem didn't bother Daryl one bit, but then the cat started stealing more . . . _personal_ items.

 

 

   One day, Daryl had come home and found Jack laid out on the small balcony, a scrap of pink fabric tucked under his head. Frowning, Daryl had opened the sliding glass door and knelt down beside the cat, tugging the fabric free from Jack's hold. Daryl felt his face flush fire engine red when he saw what exactly the damn cat had taken.

 

 

 _Panties_.

 

 

   Daryl had averted his eyes quickly, cursing under his breath as he stomped towards the fridge, and quickly distributing the panties into the box. Jack hadn't even the good sense to look abashed when Daryl threw him a glare before stomping into the shower.

 

 

  And it didn't end there. No, now every day when Daryl returned from work, Jack would be sprawled on the balcony, a pair of girl's underwear in his possession. All kinds(bikini cut, boy shorts, thongs), and of all shades (pinks and blues and white, some with little designs all over them) and fabrics (lace, cotton, silk). It was getting to the point Daryl was feeling like a damn creep with his stash of stolen panties above his fridge. He considered locking Jack up, but knew from past experiences what that meant for his furniture and wallet.

 

 

  And he couldn't throw them away either. The buildings foreman, Eugene, was a fucking creep and Daryl had caught him digging through the dumpster behind the building more than once. God only knew why, Daryl didn't ask and didn't honestly want to know. And dammit his cat just needed to stop stealing shit.

 

 

  It was Wednesday when everything took a tailspin into the shit pile. He was walking up the stairs, ready to jump in his shower and then bed and not wake up until morning. Today must have been international Fuck Your Car Up day because it felt like every car in town had been at the garage.

 

 

   Jack and his thievery were the furthest thing from his mind when he reached his floor, so when he turned the corner to see a wisp of a blond in a baby blue bathrobe pounding on his door. Her skin was peaches and cream, a furious flush marking her cheeks as she continued to bang her fist against the door of apartment. Her blond hair was damp, and Daryl could just guess she had jumped out of the shower not moments ago. She was a little thing, too, wouldn't even pass his shoulder. She was cute too, Daryl couldn't help but notice, though he was more concerned as to why she was beating his door to a pulp.

 

 

  "Get out here you four legged thief!"

 

 

   Fuck.

 

 

  Jack. Of course it was that damn cat. Daryl suddenly wondered how fast he could move out, because it was obvious she lived here too, though he'd never seen her before(which wasn't too surprising, Daryl wasn't exactly a social butterfly).

 

 

  "I'm gunna make you into a coat you little fiend!" she called as she gave the door another hard smack.

 

 

  "Hey," Daryl ground out, reluctantly calling her attention to him.

 

 

  The girl whirled around, and he finally got a real look at her and damn it all she was far prettier from the front. Big blue eyes, and a mouth that looked like it was ready to slip into a smile, she stared at him in surprise and he watched as embarrassment took over, washing away the anger.

 

 

  "Um. Hi." she stuttered as she threw her arms around herself, as though the robe she wore was see through. "Um, I have a really good explanation-"

 

 

  "S'okay, I get it," Daryl grunted, carefully looking anywhere but at her, because he knew he'd just stand there and stare at her like a damn idiot if he wasn't careful.

 

 

  "No, ah, I don't think you do," she said with a nervous chuckle.

 

 

  "M, gunna say a cat stole your, um, you know," he ground out even as the tips of his ears began to burn.

 

 

  The girl stared at him wide eyed, her mouth falling open in surprise.

 

 

  "He's mine. Was wondering where the hell he was getting 'em from."

 

 

  "He . . . oh my god. He's _yours?_ "

 

 

  "Just said that girl," Daryl murmured.

 

 

  "And you've what? You trained him to sneak into girl's apartments and steal for you-?" she was looking at Daryl as if he'd just told her he had leprosy.

 

 

  "No! I ain't a creep. Christ. He just . . . I let him out, cuz if I don't he'll fuck up my place and when I come home he's there waiting and he has . . . ."

 

 

  "Panties. _My_ panties."

 

 

  Jesus why him?

 

 

  "Look, girl-"

 

 

  "Beth."

 

 

  "-I'll give 'em all back, just . . . just please stop talking about it." he huffed and moved past her, unlocking his door before she could say a word. Daryl took a step back allowing her to proceed him inside.

 

 

  The girl, no, Beth, Daryl corrected himself, skedaddled right for the door to the balcony, where Jack was laying out as content as could be basking in the suns rays, sliding it open and snatching a purple pair of panties from the feline's paws.

 

 

  "Take my panties again, and I'll skin you," she hissed at him.

 

 

  Daryl was slightly frightened but Jack just blinked lazily at her and continued on with his nap. Beth turned to face him, frowning up at him.

 

 

  "You said there were more?" she asked him, glancing around his sparsely furnished apartment.

 

 

    What was she expecting? For him to have them tacked to a wall or something?

 

 

 _Just give 'em to her and get her out 'fore she thinks you're anymore of a creep_. Daryl motioned for her to follow him towards the fridge.

 

 

  Reaching up, Daryl pulled the box forward from where he had pushed it back out of sight, taking it down and all but shoving it into Beth's arms. Beth stared at it wide eyed, giving it a tentative shake, eyes widening at the clanking inside.

 

 

  "That's not just panties in there," she noted, as if thinking out loud.

 

 

  "Mm, Jack, uh my cat, he likes to steal all kinds of sh-things. At least before . . . ."

 

 

  "Before he found my panties? You know, I thought I was going crazy, I actually blamed my roommate of stealing my things. I'll have to apologize now," she chuckled lightly, a small smile pulling at her lips.

 

 

  "I am sorry. 'Bout Jack. I didn't . . . and I had no idea where they were comin' from . . . . "

 

 

  "It's okay," she quickly assured him. "I mean, it's not okay, but  . . . I get it. If it was my pet showing up with strange people's underwear I wouldn't really know what to do either but . . . . "

 

 

  "What?" Daryl asked with a frown.

 

 

  "Why did you keep them?" Beth blushed the moment she voiced the question.

 

 

   Once again a familiar burning rushed through Daryl and he ducked his gaze from hers'. "Just . . . Eugene goes through the dumpsters. And I didn't want him finding 'em so keeping them seemed like, I don't know, lesser of two evils or some shit."

 

 

  That made Beth giggle, a hand flying to her mouth to cover her smile. "Lord, I guess I should thank you then. The idea of Eugene with my panties . . . . " Beth gave a mock shiver of terror.

Daryl let out a snort, shaking his head. "I'll lock him up or something, sorry again."

 

 

  "No, you don't gotta lock him up. I've been leaving the bathroom window open lately, he must be getting in through there. I live two floors below," she explained with a small smile. "I'll be sure to keep things locked up from now on."

 

 

  "Sounds good," Daryl agreed.

 

 

  The pair of them stood there like that for a pregnant moment of silence before Beth seemed to realize she was standing in a stranger's apartment in nothing but her bath robe.

 

 

  "Um, I'll get going. Thank you, um . . . " she bit down on her bottom lip in a way that had Daryl clinching his hands at his side and his heart beating just a bit faster. "I don't even know your name."

 

 

  "Daryl. Dixon." he provided haltingly as he felt his embarrassment grow.

 

 

  "Beth Greene," she replied, her mouth still holding that small smile. "It was interesting meeting you, Mr. Dixon. Maybe next time I see you I'll be fully clothed and dry." 

 

 

  She was teasing with him. No, she was flirting with him and Daryl couldn't really believe it.

 

 

  "Maybe," he managed. "Ah, so I'll . . . .'

 

 

  "Be seeing me?" Beth provided. "Thank you again Daryl. And don't be too hard on Jack." And like that she was slipping past him towards the door, box full of Jack's stolen goods tucked under her arm.

 

 

  Daryl watched Beth close the door behind her. It was only Jack's insistent meow that made him glance down.

 

 

"C'mere," he grunted as he lifted the tom cat from his spot on the floor, giving him a thoughtful scratch behind the ear. "Didn't know you had good taste in women, boy."

 

 

  Jack's only answer was his customary lazy blink and a purr of contentment as Daryl continued scratching him.

 

 

  "Good boy, Jack." he murmured as he gave one last glance to the door.

 

 

  Yes, there was no question in Daryl's mind that cats were man's best friend. Or at least this cat was indeed Daryl's best friend. No damn dog could have brought about Daryl meeting Beth Greene.

 

 

  And Daryl was hoping that he'd see her again.

 

 

  "S'good cat, Jack," he hummed with a slight smirk.

 

  Jack just kept on purring.


	2. Falling for Ya

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Beth is falling for Daryl-both literary and figuratively. With Jack's help of course.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> y'all are precious cinnamon buns and I have no other words but bless you all and thank, and I am blessed to be in the bethyl fandom

 

  After their embarrassing encounter, Beth found her mind wandering to the gruff man and his thieving cat more and more. She hadn't been living in the complex long, a little over a month, and the only people she really knew were her roommate Tara, Eugene, Sasha and Bob from next door and Sasha's brother Tyreese who came over with them on Thursdays for movie night. So it wasn't much of surprise she had never met Daryl before. But now that she had, Beth was guilty of scanning the halls for him, or scoping out his mail compartment to see if he had picked it up for the day. When he wasn't there, she felt her heart fall just a bit but she quickly pushed it away. Because it was crazy to feel disappointment over not seeing a complete stranger. Especially when that stranger's cat was responsible for your depleting supply of underwear.

 

 

  Yeah, it was crazy. Maybe Beth was crazy because that morning she'd been eying her bathroom window and had considered accidentally on purpose leaving it open so that a certain cat could sneak in.

 

 

  "Greene," Tara called from the living room, drawing Beth from the seclusion of her thoughts.

 

 

  Beth straightened, pushing herself up from the barstool at the counter and made her way to Tara, who sat cross legged on the floor by the entertainment center that Tara's sister had given her as a hand-me-down after moving in with her boyfriend Brian.

 

 

  Tara glanced up from where she sat, an exasperated look on her face.

 

 

   "We have shit for movies, babe."

 

 

  Beth shook her head. This is how movie night often went. Tara would agonize over combing through their limited DVD collection, before deeming it hopeless and sending Beth to the closest RedBox.

 

 

  Beth already had her purse in hand, a small smile coaxing her mouth.

 

 

  "What am I getting?" Beth asked as she moved towards the door.

 

 

  "I still haven't seen Oculus," Tara said brightly.

 

 

  "You and your horror movies," Beth sighed. "All right, but next week you're sitting through a romantic comedy. Maybe some Nicholas Sparks."

 

 

  Tara gave Beth a wounded look. "Why do you hate me?"

 

 

  Beth just laughed and made her way out the door.

 

 

  "And don't forget my jelly beans!"

 

 

  Beth was still smiling as she made her way towards the stairs. Moving in with Tara and out of her childhood home at the farm. Beth had answered an add in the paper and the two had instantly clicked. Tara had dubbed Beth 'completely awesome' and a week later Beth was moving in.

 

  Beth had began descending the stairs when something black shot towards. Beth let out a strangled cry as she flew forward, her foot twisting as she went down. She collided into something hard, a grunt rising from them. Together Beth and the man hit the ground with a hard thump, Beth sprawled on top of him. Beth groaned as she began to push herself up, focusing on whom she had fallen on.

 

 

 _Oh god_.

 

 

  She was laying on top of no other than Daryl Dixon. And what was worse, Beth's face was directly in front of his crotch. Face heating, Beth looked up in horror at Daryl who was staring back at her with bemusement.

 

 

   "If ya wanted to get me back for Jack takin' your stuff, 'M sure there are easier ways."

 

 

   "Ah . . . I . . . " Beth fumbled for the words but they eluded her.

 

 

  "Mind getting off me?" he asked with a slight smirk. "Yer heavier then you look."

 

 

 _Kill me_ , Beth begged the universe as she scrambled to remove herself from him.

 

 

  "Sorry," he muttered. "Might be twisted. What ya trip over?"

 

 

   "I don't-"

 

 

  _Merow_.

 

 

   Simultaneously, Beth and Daryl looked up at the top of the stairs to see Jack regarding them with what Beth could only describe as disdain. He bowed his head and began grooming his nails.

 

 

   "Fucking cat," Daryl grumbled looked back to Beth's ankle. "M, sorry, caught him trying to steal Eugene's sandwich and chased him up here."

 

 

  "It's okay," Beth managed, feeling her face go warm once again. "And I'm sorry . . . about  . . . falling on your . . . ."

 

 

  God, why couldn't the ground just open and swallow her up?

 

 

   But Daryl was chuckling, despite the subtle blush that was making its way across his skin; that almost smile moving across his lips. The one that made Beth's heart flip.

 

 

  "Well, guess we're even," he replied with a shrug.

 

 

   Beth managed a half smile before she attempted to stand, Daryl was on his feet before her, and then one of his arms was going under her legs while the other was curling around her waist.

 

 

   Heart firmly lodged in her throat, Beth couldn't remember to breathe, much less stammer out a protest as Daryl proceeded to carry her back up the stairs.

 

 

   "I-I, Daryl-"

 

 

   "Nu-uh, s'was my cat that tried to kill ya, gunna at least get you patched up."

 

 

   Beth's floundering mouth clamped shut, residing herself to being carried by Daryl Dixon. She tried to focus on anything that wasn't him. But her senses ignored her, taking in his scent-cigarettes, motor oil, and Irish Spring soap-or how his arms and hands around her, grazing her side and her knee sent electricity through her, blocking out the discomfort from her ankle.

 

 

     _Get it together, Greene_ , she ordered herself.  

 

 

  She kept silent though as Daryl climbed up two flights of stairs, even when Daryl instructed her to get his keys from the breast pocket of his shirt. Beth prayed he didn't notice the trembling in her fingers as she slipped inside and quickly pulled them free. Some maneuvering ensued, but in the end the pair made it inside Daryl's apartment, Jack tailing them. Daryl carried Beth to the sofa, carefully laying her out. When he pulled away, Beth found herself missing his presence even though when he had been that close she couldn't really think.

 

 

   But the distance allowed her to breathe, and Beth took deep gulps of air while Daryl rummaged through one of his cabinets for gauze to wrap her ankle with. Beth allowed her gaze to linger on him for a moment, taking in the sculpted muscles of his arms, bared to her gaze thanks to his sleeveless shirt. Her eyes moved to his shoulders and his back, wide and strong like the rest of him. When he turned around, Beth was still lost in watching him. His storm cloud eyes met hers' and Beth glanced away guiltily.

 

 

   _Very nice, Beth. A+ for subtly._

 

 

  "Ain't much, but it'll hold ya over," he remarked as he sat across from her on the surface of the coffee table.

 

 

  "You don't have to do this . . . I could've just gone to the ER," Beth said keeping her gaze down.

 

 

   Daryl snorted as he reached for her leg, drawing it towards him and placing it gently in his lap. "Yeah, sitting in a waiting for an hour woulda done ya real good."

 

 

   Beth gave a smile, finally meeting his gaze. "I just mean you don't have to go through all this trouble."

 

 

   "Not any trouble," and with that Daryl slipped her foot free from her shoe. His fingers gently grazed the edge of her sock before carefully tugging it off.

 

 

   All Beth could hear was the beating of her own heart; it was drumming away at an unsteady beat, so loud she was sure Daryl could hear it. He reached for the gauze at his side and began to wrap her ankle.

 

 

   "I . . . I've been keeping an eye out for you," Beth blurted out.

 

  

   Daryl paused in his administrations, but he didn't look up from her ankle.

 

 

  "Why?" he grunted.

 

 

   "Just . . . I kinda of like you," Beth found herself saying. And it was true. She did. Why else couldn't she be around this man without making a fool of herself?

 

 

   "Ya shouldn't," Daryl muttered almost too low for Beth to hear but she did.

 

 

    "I do though. You're . . . nice. And handsome."

 

 

    "My cat's been stealing your panties for the last three weeks and you say you like me? Not to mention he just tried to kill you." Daryl shook his head. "Sure you didn't hit your head when ya fell?"

 

 

    "No, my head a very soft spot to land on," Beth chuckled, even as her face turned a shade of pink.

 

 

   Daryl smirked a moment, Beth could make it out past the curtain of his bangs. He paused in wrapping her foot, his eyes meeting her own.

 

 

   "Ya don't know me. I ain't all that nice."

 

 

    Beth smiled softly at him. "Well. Can I get to know you? Maybe  . . . Tara, my roommate, and me, we're having a movie night tonight. Our neighbors, Sasha and Bob and Sasha's brother come over and they bring snacks and we just hang out. You could come over too. If you wanted."

 

 

   Daryl was quiet for a long while. His gaze trained on her ankle as he took a safety pin and finished binding it. 

 

 

  "Suppose I could. If you're sure."

 

 

  Beth couldn't help the grin that took possession of her face as she leaned forward and squeezed his hand.

 

 

  "I'd love it if you came to movie night, Daryl Dixon," she spoke plainly, her blue eyes never leaving his.

 

 

  What Beth was coming to call The Smirk appeared on Daryl's face once again as he shook his head at her.

 

 

  "Anyone ever tell you, you're crazy, girl?"

 

 

   Beth just laughed. "Wait till you really get to know me, Mr. Dixon."

 

 

  Jack chose that moment to make his presence known, meowing loudly before leaping onto the couch. He meowed at Daryl, a keening whine, before he stalked towards Beth. Purring loudly, Jack settled on Beth's lap before a protest could leave her. The fat tomcat nuzzled his head against her stomach before he settled down, closing his eyes, and seeming to fall asleep.

 

 

   Beth eyed the cat on her lap in surprise, glancing up at Daryl who had been watching the whole encounter, the Smirk becoming an almost smile.

 

 

   "Looks to me like ya got a new best friend, Greene," he teased before he stood to return the leftover gauze to the cabinet.

 

 

   Beth giggled as she reached down and stroked Jack's midnight black fur, the feline's purring growing even louder. Maybe this cat wasn't Satan incarnate. Maybe he was actually a really nice cat-stealing panties and tripping her on the stairs aside.

 

 

    If it weren't for this cat who was now turning onto his side so Beth could have better access to his belly, Beth would never have met Daryl. If it weren't for Jack, she might not have run into him for a long while.

 

 

    If it weren't for Jack, Beth Greene wouldn't be falling for Daryl Dixon at all.

 

 

   Beth leaned down and gave the cat a soft peck on the head as she continued stroking the feline into sleep.

 

 

   "Thanks, Jack," she whispered softly enough that only the cat could hear her.

 

 

   Jack just kept on purring.   

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've never written anything that didn't have a plot before. 
> 
>  
> 
> I like it ;)
> 
>  
> 
> If you have a fluffy situation or scene you'd like to see in this universe you can leave it in a comment or go on my tumblr and message me there :)  
>  
> 
> Please comment your thoughts and thank you for reading


	3. Cool Down to Heat Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack did a bad thing and now Beth and Daryl have to look for alternative ways to cool off in the summer heat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i have a thing for bethyl water fights it would seem

Their relationship is hard to put a name to. They’ve fallen into a routine of sorts-they say hello in the hall and make small talk, on Thursdays Daryl comes over for movie night bringing with him a six pack of beer. Besides a few hesitant smiles and awkward exchanges Beth’s and Daryl’s relationship has been at a standstill.

 

Daryl was at a loss when it came to Beth Greene, with her warm smiles and soft words. She was music personified. Gentle and sweet. And for whatever reason she seemed to like him.

 

Liked him as what he wasn’t sure. There were moments, in the quiet, whether they were watching whatever horror flick Tara had conned Beth into watching or if they were talking in the hall, Daryl would catch Beth watching him. It was strange.

 

One particular day, a balmy Wednesday-the kind of day where the people of Georgia throw open every available window open in the vain hope that some semblance of a breeze would come through. Daryl was dressed in his oldest shirt, sleeves ripped off, buttons left undone revealing the hard tanned planes of his chest and stomach, his worn out jeans falling loose on his hips. He was this close to dunking his head in his freezer heat when there was a tentative knock on his door.

 

Grumbling he made his way to his door, easing it open. The sight that greeted him was not one he was prepared for. There in his door way, stood little Beth Greene, scantily dressed in a cropped tank top that revealed the delicate swell of her stomach and waist. The little cut-off short she wore didn’t help either, for a tiny thing her legs looked as though they went on for miles. Daryl’s was dealing with a new rush of heat that had nothing to do with the current temperature of the room.

 

Somehow he managed to drag his eyes away from her body to see the bundle of black fur she was holding in her arms-and the less than pleased expression on her face.

 

“What he do now?” he asked with a forlorn sigh as he took Jack from her arms, and as he did he certainly didn’t think about just how soft her skin was when his fingers brushed her arm.

 

“Jack,” Beth began with a heavy sigh as she reached into her pocket to withdraw a chewed up cord. “Ate the cord to our air conditioning. I had to get him outta there before Tara made a kitty roast out of him.”

 

Daryl sighed as he deposited the cat on the couch. Wiping at his sweat drenched brow with the back of his hand.

 

“I’ll swing by an’ see if I can’t rewire it,” he said.

 

“Thank you, but you don’t have to,” Beth said with a sigh as she plopped down on his couch. “It’s not your fault Eugene refuses to fix the cooling system for this place.”

 

Daryl smirked. “With Mullet’s luck he’d end up blowing somethin’.”

 

Beth couldn’t help the giggle that slipped past her lips. And then-there it was. That look she got. Her blue eyes traveled over his body, his heart thudding loudly in his chest as he felt the weight of her gaze. Her eyes on him were hotter than the surface of the sun, branding him.

 

And just like that she ripped her gaze away, training it on the ground as her pale cheeks became turned a rosy hue.

 

“So, um,” she began as she smoothed back her rebelling hair. “I was thinking about heading to this little swimming hole that’s just off my daddy’s property . . . you wanna come? Cool off?”

 

The more surprising thing about Beth’s offer was that he wanted to say yes. But then . . . he remembered his back.

 

“Nah, I’ll be okay,” he grunted as he turned away from her, his fingers nimbly doing the buttons of his shirt as he made his way to the fridge, taking out a bottle of Bud.

 

“Oh, okay,” she said and dammit if Daryl didn’t hear a note of disappointment in her voice.

 

Daryl wanted to kick himself. He was doing an amazing job at this friend thing.

 

“Beth,” he sighed. “I . . . just . . . not much for . . . .”

 

“It’s all right, Daryl,” Beth said. “You don’t have to make up excuses. You don’t wanna go swimming, it’s okay.”

 

Daryl cursed under his breath, setting his unopened beer on the counter. “M’sorry.”

 

“Daryl,” Beth admonished him as she moved from where she was sitting, making her way to the kitchen.

 

“S’just-“

 

“Daryl Dixon,” Beth exclaimed making him turn to face her just in time to register holding the hose to the sink before she released an icy spray at him.

 

“Jesus- _Beth!_ ” He yelled, attempting to shield himself from the cold spray.

 

The giggle she let out was full of youthful glee. With a growl he lunged for her, one tan arm hooking around her narrow waist as he hauled her over her shoulder.

 

“Daryl-!” Beth cried as she thrashed against him. “Put me down!”

 

“Nuh uh,” he grunted as he took the short trek to the bathroom. “Ya look a lil hot there, Greene,” he chuckled as he gave her bottom a good swat eliciting a squeak of surprise from the young woman. “Lemme help ya cool off.”

 

Beth became a live wire in his arms as he reached to turn the shower on full blast, the icy spray hitting both of them.

 

“Daryl Dixon!” she cried, her hands turning into hooks as she attempted to fight her way from her grasp.

 

Daryl only chuckled as he deftly captured her hands in his own, pinning them to his chest. She continued to struggle against him, but all that did was grind her bottom on his fast growing erection. A groan rumbled through him at the contact, causing Beth to freeze in her struggles. She stared wide eyed up at him, and Daryl found himself caught in her blue eyed gaze.

 

He couldn’t look away from her, the water cascading down her skin, the droplets caressing her sweetheart mouth. Daryl had a sudden vison of himself, leaning forward, his tongue darting out to lick those droplets away.

 

“Daryl . . .”

 

“Yeah,” he asked, the word coming out as a breath. Dammit was he shaking?

 

“I . . . I really, really want you to kiss me,” Beth said, swallowing thickly.

 

Before Daryl could think twice, Beth was leaning forward, her soft lips meeting his. The kiss was gentle and sweet, unlike any he had ever experienced. No, all the kisses he could remember had been drunken fumbling in dark corners and cramped spaces.

 

When Beth pulled away, her eyes said a million things that Daryl couldn’t quite understand-but one he did. She was scared.

 

Scared of him pushing her away.

 

A nervous trill of laughter escaped her, shaky and uneven. “I-I’m so-”

 

Daryl quieted her by ducking his head, smashing his mouth against hers’. Beth released a muffled moan as she opened her mouth against his, allowing his tongue to slip past her lips, tasting her, caressing her gently. His hands released her own, coming up to cradle the back of her head, his fingers tangling in her soaked tresses.

 

Beth scooted closer, molding their chests together, their heat radiating through the wet material of their shirts.

Kissing Beth Greene was intoxicating, the high of her sweet moans and hitched breathing sent his blood on fire. Her hands as they gently soothed the hard muscles of his arms as they came to clasp his shoulders left a trail of goosebumps on his flesh.

 

“Meow.”

 

They broke apart at the sound, turning to see Jack giving them a disapproving glare. The cat was soaked, his fur sticking up in wet clumps. The drenched pair broke into fits of laughter, Beth burying her face in Daryl’s shirt.

 

“We, uh, we should clean up.” Daryl grunted. “Maybe dry off.”

 

“Yeah, maybe,” Beth agreed. “Wait.”

 

Daryl stopped in the midst of turning off the shower as Beth leaned forward, touching her lips once more against his.

 

The grin she gave him was enough to make his heart skip a beat.

 

“I just wanted to do that one more time.”

 

“Wa . . . was it okay?” he managed to squawk.

 

Beth grinned at him. “It was perfect.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you for waiting, and i hope you enjoyed the read :)
> 
> please comment and kudos

**Author's Note:**

> im not sure what this was-one shot or maybe the start of a fluffy PWP thing I have no idea.
> 
> Comment your thoughts? I'd love to know what you all think


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